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Ex-City Official Nominated to Run Nassau Jail

After a year in which the Nassau County jail was buffeted by charges of brutality and fiscal mismanagement, a former top official with the City Correction Department was nominated today to take over the jail as its next sheriff.

County Executive Thomas S. Gulotta settled on Edward Reilly to fill the post, which has been vacant three months. Mr. Reilly, a former schoolteacher who became a correction officer on Rikers Island in 1972, stepped down last year as chief of department, the top uniformed position.

But there is not a new sheriff in town yet. Mr. Reilly still must be confirmed by the County Legislature. Judith A. Jacobs, its presiding officer, said that she expected to call the hearings in the next few weeks and that she was favorably impressed by Mr. Reilly's background.

If confirmed, he would take over a jail beset by problems. Four guards were found guilty this month on federal civil rights charges stemming from the beating death of a prisoner, Thomas Pizzuto. The Justice Department is investigating whether a pattern of abuse exists at the jail. And the County Legislature is holding hearings on the rising overtime costs there.

Mr. Gulotta said that he would give Mr. Reilly a free hand in making changes. ''Mr. Reilly will review all aspects of the jail's operations and take whatever corrective measures are necessary,'' he said this morning at a news conference in his office. ''Ed Reilly brings with him a fresh look, a new energy and vast experience to the helm of the Nassau County Correctional Center.''

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Lisanne G. Altmann, a Democratic legislator from Great Neck, who has been an outspoken critic of procedures at the jail, said Mr. Reilly ''has a Herculean task ahead of him.'' She noted that the jail, which has consistently exceeded its overtime budget by millions, spent $16 million last year on overtime but has only $3.8 million for overtime in its current budget.

There are also concerns about brutality that were raised by the killing of Mr. Pizzuto, a 38-year-old prisoner who was fatally beaten in his cell last January after clamoring loudly for his methadone while serving 90 days for traffic violations. ''The new sheriff has to restore the public's confidence in the facility,'' Ms. Altmann said. ''That's a tough job.''

Michael P. Jacobson, a former City Correction commissioner, said he thought Mr. Reilly would be up to it. ''He was a bureau chief and then chief of department during a time when Rikers had massive decreases in violence and huge decreases in overtime,'' Mr. Jacobson said.

Union leaders also spoke highly of Mr. Reilly. Norman Seabrook, the president of the union for city correction officers, praised his management skills. And Michael F. Adams, the president of the Nassau County Sheriff Officers Association, said Mr. Reilly had a reputation for fairness.

Mr. Reilly said he would make it a top priority to improve sagging morale among guards. But he warned he would not stand for misconduct. ''It's unacceptable,'' he said. ''It's never been tolerated on my watch, and it won't be in the future.''